NAIROBI, Kenya- Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has declared that removing President William Ruto from power in 2027 is a matter of national urgency—not emotion.
In a candid interview on Citizen TV, Sifuna said the opposition must adopt a pragmatic strategy and should be willing to work with even controversial figures like former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i if it furthers the goal of unseating Ruto.
“My view about 2027 is that there will be no room for sentiment. The project of removing William Ruto does not allow for sentiment. We will not work with angels—even Sifuna is not an angel,” he said.
While acknowledging Matiang’i’s contentious past, Sifuna emphasized that effectiveness, not perfection, would guide the opposition 2027 strategy.
“Matiang’i has his faults, but if he is going to help us remove William Ruto, so be it,” he stated.
Edwin Sifuna: I want William Ruto to know that his removal from office is a national priority agenda. This is the worst possible government we would have envisaged. His government is totally opposed to what the Constitution stands for#CitizenExplainer @YvonneOkwara
Sifuna further underlined his belief that the Ruto administration has betrayed the aspirations of the Kenyan Constitution, saying, “I want William Ruto to know that his removal from office is a national priority agenda. This is the worst possible government we could have envisaged.”
He said ODM is not short of capable presidential candidates and will approach 2027 with clarity and purpose.
“ODM has not run out of leaders. ODM has not run out of the ability to produce presidential candidates.”
With ODM leader Raila Odinga currently in a working arrangement with President Ruto, he said the party had been thrown into a state of confusion.
The broad-based government saw some key ODM figures embedded into government by assuming key positions.
Sifuna, however, said they joined government to serve Ruto and not the interests of the party or Kenyans.
President Ruto has hailed the broad-based government, saying it unified the country- even though more divisions have emerged following the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Gachagya, now a DCP Party leader, has led the opposition in staging serious political onslaughts coupled by a youth uprising that has kept Ruto’s government on its toes.
Tens of young people have been killed by police while protesting against bad governance, corruption, and extra-judicial killings, and others are in court facing terror-related charges.
Ruto has accused the church and parents of misleading the youth and has asked police to shoot to maim those who ‘destroy property’ during protests.
Edwin Sifuna on whether ODM is headed in the right direction: There is a lot of confusion. I have told my party leader that there was a time when it was very easy to be the SG of ODM. What we agreed is that you can compromise on tactics, but you can never compromise on your
